City bus on two new routes

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Those who love pocket-friendly rides, here’s good news.

The Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC), which runs the JNNURM-sponsored buses in Jamshedpur, has decided to run them on two new routes from next week. The routes will connect Sakchi with Patamda and Sundernagar.

“We have selected the new routes in the wake of public demand. Also, they have the potential to generate good revenue,” said JTDC functionary S.K. Jha.

The route charts have been worked out and approved by the JTDC and district transport office. The buses will ply from 6am to 7pm.

City Bus Karmachari Sangh, the union of bus employees, lauded the effort. “We welcome the move and will co-operate with the JTDC,” said member Ajit Singh.

He added that they wanted more buses to be introduced so that the aam aadmi was benefited.

At present, around 15 city buses plying on different routes ferry around 10,000 passengers every day. The service is available on routes like Sakchi-Station, Sakchi-Govindpur and Tatanagar-Baridih.

Sources also revealed that Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee was trying to takeover the service. Functionaries of the civic body have held talks with JTDC officials, but a final decision is awaited.

Of a fleet of 50 city buses allotted to Jamshedpur under JNNURM, 25 started plying on September 1, 2010. Later, the number increased to 30. But, over the past few years, lack of maintenance and repair has led most buses to gather dust at Baridih depot.